Fly Mask

At DocHorse, you can find a wide range of fly masks, flyhoods and flyveils for your horse. We have masks with ear protection, without ear protection, and with or without nose protection.

Why do you need fly protection?

A flymask protects your horses eyes against insects, dust and dirt. Insects like to hang around your horses head, causing irritation and frustration, and can also cause infected or irritated eyes. By putting a fly mask on your horses head, the insects cannot get into the eyes or on the head, allowing your horse to be outside without being bothered by insects. We also have flymasks suitable for riding. If you need such a mask, be careful to choose a mask with a fine mesh, so your horse will have excellent vision with the mask.

What is important when choosing a fly mask?

Fly masks come in different shapes and sizes. You have the simple versions, without ear protection, but also complete masks with nose- and ear protection. Which type of mask you choose for your horse depends on the situation, the amount of insects that are bothering your horse and the response of the horse to the insects. If the horse is bothered by the insects and there are many of them, we advise to choose a mask with both nose- and ear protection. We also advise to use a mask with nose protection for horses with light skin at the nose area, to protect the skin against uv-rays that cause sunburn. If you need a mask to protect your horses eyes against dust and dirt, we advise a mask without ear or nose protection.

What is important when fitting a fly mask?

Most important is to check if the mask has a snug fit against the head to avoid any flies getting under the mask and causing distress. But be careful, the mask should not be too tight. Most masks have a (fake) fur or fleece seam to avoid rubbing against the skin. The fur or fleece seam also helps avoiding flies getting under the mask. You should also check if the mask is not rubbing the eyelashes or getting too close to the eyes. Most masks are made of a tough mesh material, so the mask won’t get too close to the eyes. The further the fabric is from the eyes, the better the eyesight will be for the horse. We also have masks with an integrated loop to make sure the mask will stay in shape around the head, for example the Rambo Fly Mask Plus. Last but not least, make sure the fabric of the mask is see-through so the horse will not block the horses vision. You can check this by taking a look through the fabric yourself. Usually, a fine mesh will allow better vision. You can use this type of mask for riding. Unfortunately, a fine mesh is also more vulnerable, so if you want to use the mask when your horse is out in the field with his friends, a wider mesh of more durable fabric is more suitable, this will not damage that fast when playing.